2/28/11: Since my original posts, I placed the 'five easy pieces' outside the blog for a tuneup.
***
I'm late in wrapping up. I waited to gather feedback, incubate my own thoughts and got swept up in the next big thing (which is very good, this added new perspective). My immediate thoughts were that some strengths and weaknesses of my vocal performance practice and discipline played out here in a 'character realization' mode.
I had an entrancing time channeling someone else, especially in another time in a city I cherish and about which I continue to learn. Having a regular routine around research and writing really helped, much like researching new music, practicing regular breathing and scale exercises and learning a new piece does. I know to continue this work whether or not it goes well, stop at an alloted time to save on strain or burnout. Yes, it turns out I can remember something on Tuesday that I failed to write about on Monday because time was up. Only it is better there is new creative input if I can hold my horses and write the next day. And I didn't get a sore throat. Limiting writing time, like practice limits, really adds to the experience, the sense of balance and the quality of the products sought.
My current (and lifelong) vocal downfall is that after lots of work to deliver a song arc (the line and lyricism), I sometimes drop out before the finish line. Literally it feels like I can see the finish line before it sees me and I peter out. So work on volume and intensity gets my voice to the last row, but not always for the duration. That was a definite truth about my last post on Inga's behalf. She was too glib, not really as good as the penultimate piece because the artist behind her gave up before the filly came into the final post. At least I am consistent. I suspect I will gain value in my song practice before I can complete this learning as a writer.
Please let me know what you think.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
The Project - Details for each day (Major Update)
The Challenge: to gather artistic impressions from past, current and fictional experience. I have chosen an avatar who is able to travel through time and space without the pain of passing through the metal detectors at ORD or the need to eat, drink or blend in. Her back story will gather detail as the project progresses, but there are some details available for the first piece. The research notes for creation of these pieces will be stored off-line. They will serve as material for later use, as needed.
Avatar: Inga MacGuinan, a 37 year-old swede married to a Scotsman, settled in Chicago but originally from Sundbyberg, SV. She is a trained singer and amateur artist using pen and ink. She has a special interest in women artists. She is from a humble background, but her wealthy merchant husband (also from the lower ranks) has opened her eyes to the world where an artist might have a patron or be able to sell works or be paid for performing. Few women participate in this artistic world and Inga is still quite dependent upon her husband for any independence she is granted. As she moves through these pieces, she will still bring her mindset along, but she may change as she experiences new ideas, is exposed to new cultures and people.
UPDATE: I decided to keep to a Chicago setting with Inga, but continue the piece over time. Instead of having her travel she will meet visitors one of whom will be from India who is a visitor at the 1893 Columbian Exposition and the Parliament of Religions. I ran into difficulties with Siem Reap because the Wats were in disrepair at the end of the 19th century and China was equally unknown other than the difficulties between the UK and China over the tea trade.
The 5 (not so easy) pieces:
Sunday is set in 1877/Lincoln Park and the new Lily Pond and the greenhouses.
Monday is 1887 and includes a visit to the lavish Marshal Field Shopping Emporium
Tuesday is set in 1891 the day before Inga's wedding, some progress on the conservatory
Wednesday will take place in 1893 after an encounter at the almost complete Lincoln Park Conservatory with a very grand Raja, Swami Vivekenanda from India who is visiting for the Parliament of Religions.
Thursday takes place in 1895, there is an opening gala for the new Lincoln Park conservatory, complete with fireworks an art exhibit and featuring a singing student of Inga's. Followed by LPC in 2017 at the ceremony to dedicate the new space. The narrator will be Inga and Samuel's great, great granddaughter who has been reading Inga's diaries.
Saturday wrap up and thoughts on the process.
Avatar: Inga MacGuinan, a 37 year-old swede married to a Scotsman, settled in Chicago but originally from Sundbyberg, SV. She is a trained singer and amateur artist using pen and ink. She has a special interest in women artists. She is from a humble background, but her wealthy merchant husband (also from the lower ranks) has opened her eyes to the world where an artist might have a patron or be able to sell works or be paid for performing. Few women participate in this artistic world and Inga is still quite dependent upon her husband for any independence she is granted. As she moves through these pieces, she will still bring her mindset along, but she may change as she experiences new ideas, is exposed to new cultures and people.
UPDATE: I decided to keep to a Chicago setting with Inga, but continue the piece over time. Instead of having her travel she will meet visitors one of whom will be from India who is a visitor at the 1893 Columbian Exposition and the Parliament of Religions. I ran into difficulties with Siem Reap because the Wats were in disrepair at the end of the 19th century and China was equally unknown other than the difficulties between the UK and China over the tea trade.
The 5 (not so easy) pieces:
Sunday is set in 1877/Lincoln Park and the new Lily Pond and the greenhouses.
Monday is 1887 and includes a visit to the lavish Marshal Field Shopping Emporium
Tuesday is set in 1891 the day before Inga's wedding, some progress on the conservatory
Wednesday will take place in 1893 after an encounter at the almost complete Lincoln Park Conservatory with a very grand Raja, Swami Vivekenanda from India who is visiting for the Parliament of Religions.
Thursday takes place in 1895, there is an opening gala for the new Lincoln Park conservatory, complete with fireworks an art exhibit and featuring a singing student of Inga's. Followed by LPC in 2017 at the ceremony to dedicate the new space. The narrator will be Inga and Samuel's great, great granddaughter who has been reading Inga's diaries.
Saturday wrap up and thoughts on the process.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
New Project - Taking a vacation from myself
In my last post I set out the parameters for a different sort of vacation. The problem statement requires me to access my other selves and I have a special opportunity of time in which to do it.
Here's the plan so far: I have 'gone off the grid', really only the responsive portion, no business related voice or electronic messages (my blackberry, oh no). I will do the healthy things we do when we take a vacation. Change my pace (faster and slower), look for ways to nurture my spirit and physical self, learn and play.
Saturday will be a day of prep for my 5 upcoming project days. Sunday-Thursday will each feature a project of my choosing. I will create and update my proposed project list, that will be posted Saturday and will be updated over the week as I learn more about how to plan my approach. Some considerations are time travel, locational travel, vocational travel, new selves, access to others with whom I have not traditionally had connections.
A note on time travel: although many of us long for a time machine, I suspect we have those machines already. Taste something from childhood long forgotten and I am transported. The same goes for music, viewing pictures, donning clothing or using tools or structures from other times. Theatre gives us renderings from other times and places. Productions that most delight include successful lighting, set, sound, costume and integration designs (direction). My design for each type of project will include those elements as well as considerations of time, location, my 'self' and those with whom I will interact.
Here's the plan so far: I have 'gone off the grid', really only the responsive portion, no business related voice or electronic messages (my blackberry, oh no). I will do the healthy things we do when we take a vacation. Change my pace (faster and slower), look for ways to nurture my spirit and physical self, learn and play.
Saturday will be a day of prep for my 5 upcoming project days. Sunday-Thursday will each feature a project of my choosing. I will create and update my proposed project list, that will be posted Saturday and will be updated over the week as I learn more about how to plan my approach. Some considerations are time travel, locational travel, vocational travel, new selves, access to others with whom I have not traditionally had connections.
A note on time travel: although many of us long for a time machine, I suspect we have those machines already. Taste something from childhood long forgotten and I am transported. The same goes for music, viewing pictures, donning clothing or using tools or structures from other times. Theatre gives us renderings from other times and places. Productions that most delight include successful lighting, set, sound, costume and integration designs (direction). My design for each type of project will include those elements as well as considerations of time, location, my 'self' and those with whom I will interact.
Monday, September 14, 2009
How design drives process
One way I fight the urge to micro-manage is to head up the slope to 10,000 feet. From there I can see my forest even if the trees are still easy to distinguish. On the trip up I open the car windows, get that great smell of fresh cut grass, autumn herbs and a forest getting ready for the cold season. My Journey into the higher space slows time, resets the lights and reminds me about scents that refresh.
As my earth has been spinning faster and faster I am searching for rocket ship rescue. Some orbital flight options include: pressing the eject button - leaving the scene for awhile (radical change of place); parting the atoms to walk through my walls and spend time in a new room (minor change of place); or morphing into something else (changing self). The more I contemplate a change of scene, the more I find something to distract me in another direction.
But instantaneously changing myself, how will that be effected? This will feel like a game of walk the blindfold, that exercise from childhood where you don a blindfold with a friend who will guide you through familiar spaces and you gain new perspectives on your environment with the loss of a key sense like sight. I propose a design for that process that looks like this.
Big Picture:
- Demarcate a time (aka timeboxing) during which the old self will be placed in an unnamed, secure location for safekeeping (sequestered). Incidentally the true sense of the word demarcate includes setting limits, always a help in the creative process.
Repeated smaller picture:
- Choose a prep or pre-production technique for being ready for an iteration or realization of the new self. Cleanse the mind, access the genie or djin and pluck out an idea. Find props for which to remind the new self of the idea and take a test run. Use "yes and" techniques from improvisation frameworks to build a couple of simple behaviors in the new self. Practice.
...
- Within the cycle, assuming multiple cycles within the time frame allowed, set a 'production' period. When will this self be allowed out and what is the target location. Will the self interact with others, will they react? Is this in physical or virtual space? If the physical space is the same as for the sequestered self, how can preconceptions be removed to inject newness? Go forth and produce. It might be an hour it might be 2 days.
...
- After the production cycle has been completed allow time for reflection. Gather impressions in a plastic format. That can be in writing, pictures or other media that capture images. A color exercise, an expressive musical or interpretive dance piece can work, if some written notes are also collected.
Repeat cycle (new productions)
Stop and close out the process. At the end of the timebox, gather any bigger thoughts unrelated to a specific production. Review learning from each production. Save and get a good night's rest, it's been a busy week.
As my earth has been spinning faster and faster I am searching for rocket ship rescue. Some orbital flight options include: pressing the eject button - leaving the scene for awhile (radical change of place); parting the atoms to walk through my walls and spend time in a new room (minor change of place); or morphing into something else (changing self). The more I contemplate a change of scene, the more I find something to distract me in another direction.
But instantaneously changing myself, how will that be effected? This will feel like a game of walk the blindfold, that exercise from childhood where you don a blindfold with a friend who will guide you through familiar spaces and you gain new perspectives on your environment with the loss of a key sense like sight. I propose a design for that process that looks like this.
Big Picture:
- Demarcate a time (aka timeboxing) during which the old self will be placed in an unnamed, secure location for safekeeping (sequestered). Incidentally the true sense of the word demarcate includes setting limits, always a help in the creative process.
Repeated smaller picture:
- Choose a prep or pre-production technique for being ready for an iteration or realization of the new self. Cleanse the mind, access the genie or djin and pluck out an idea. Find props for which to remind the new self of the idea and take a test run. Use "yes and" techniques from improvisation frameworks to build a couple of simple behaviors in the new self. Practice.
...
- Within the cycle, assuming multiple cycles within the time frame allowed, set a 'production' period. When will this self be allowed out and what is the target location. Will the self interact with others, will they react? Is this in physical or virtual space? If the physical space is the same as for the sequestered self, how can preconceptions be removed to inject newness? Go forth and produce. It might be an hour it might be 2 days.
...
- After the production cycle has been completed allow time for reflection. Gather impressions in a plastic format. That can be in writing, pictures or other media that capture images. A color exercise, an expressive musical or interpretive dance piece can work, if some written notes are also collected.
Repeat cycle (new productions)
Stop and close out the process. At the end of the timebox, gather any bigger thoughts unrelated to a specific production. Review learning from each production. Save and get a good night's rest, it's been a busy week.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Dangers of Hiding Out
For all that our muses require us to hang alone and commune, they drive a seductive vehicle that isolates. A prolonged journey into self can in fact be a flight of madness that serves no artistic purpose except as a quick trip to the inner scary spaces. It is within that visit that we might become inspired with new notions, but equally there might be an evil poseur using a hint of catnip to lure us over the edge. Here lies the critic in wait and she's not always helpful.
I have been exploring the effects of isolation on people during a period of great change for myself. As an introverted individual, I find periods alone essential to my well-being. However I have had to gravitate to more group activities in the last few years to find balance for creating my art and other types of work which I do alone.
During this strange period of upheaval in society it is quite easy to identify those persons who are spinning through the universe entirely alone. Some clearly lose their way. The increase of paranoid commentary, polarization in opinion sharing and a general lack in the realm of 'getting along' is making it both more and less difficult to collaborate artistically.
There are more opportunities than ever, but the dangers in the river of options are also greater. It is simple to find places of strong action and then form a reaction. This is happening all over the political landscape. New participants who have not expressed political opinions are popping up and popping each other right in the kisser.
But the realm of fewer opportunities is more troublesome yet. I would describe this space as the new political correctness. As the world becomes more polarized, the provocative artist can be viewed as the contentious artist. Never has it been so easy to invoke dem's fighten' woids just by following through on an artistic notion. And for all but the most robust this can cause us to edit ourselves to oblivion. Thus the new political correctness is utter silence, or at least trivia.
Dare I say more?
I have been exploring the effects of isolation on people during a period of great change for myself. As an introverted individual, I find periods alone essential to my well-being. However I have had to gravitate to more group activities in the last few years to find balance for creating my art and other types of work which I do alone.
During this strange period of upheaval in society it is quite easy to identify those persons who are spinning through the universe entirely alone. Some clearly lose their way. The increase of paranoid commentary, polarization in opinion sharing and a general lack in the realm of 'getting along' is making it both more and less difficult to collaborate artistically.
There are more opportunities than ever, but the dangers in the river of options are also greater. It is simple to find places of strong action and then form a reaction. This is happening all over the political landscape. New participants who have not expressed political opinions are popping up and popping each other right in the kisser.
But the realm of fewer opportunities is more troublesome yet. I would describe this space as the new political correctness. As the world becomes more polarized, the provocative artist can be viewed as the contentious artist. Never has it been so easy to invoke dem's fighten' woids just by following through on an artistic notion. And for all but the most robust this can cause us to edit ourselves to oblivion. Thus the new political correctness is utter silence, or at least trivia.
Dare I say more?
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